Friday, June 21, 2019

Jim Beers’ passion is paying it forward

Jim Beers coaching his young baseball player

By Matt
Pascarella

Jim
Beers has sports in his veins. He’s played a variety of sports and was trained by
some of the best high school coaches in the state. A lifelong Raymond resident,
he went to Jordan-Small Middle School (JSMS) as a student. Currently, he
coaches three teams over the course of the school year for JSMS, plus he
coaches Raymond little league and recreational basketball in Raymond for fifth
and sixth graders.

Beers
played sports all four years at Ellsworth High School. Both his soccer coach,
Brian Higgins, and his baseball coach, Jack Scott, are in the New England
Sports Hall of Fame. Jack Scott is also in the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. “Scott
gave me the fire to be able to recognize in myself when I probably believed I
wasn’t much of a player,” said Beers.

He
likes to do for the players he coaches, what his coaches did for him. “They may
not believe in themselves but I’m able to open that door to show them you can
be better than you think you actually are,” explained Beers. “And once they see
that, that’s exactly why I coach.”

Beers began
coaching when his son started playing in 2004. Since that time, Beers has
coached seventy plus teams. He reiterated how lucky he was to be guided by
wonderful coaches when he was younger, and he wants to pass that same experience
onto his players. Beers describes being a coach as a deep-rooted passion.

His
favorite moments are watching a player who doesn’t expect success on the field
or the court – and unexpectedly finds it. “The players who don’t expect to make
the team, who don’t expect to get a lot of playing time; when they get out
there and their eyes light up because they just did something they didn’t
expect to do, that makes it for me,” stated Beers.

He went
on to say he was that kid, the underdog. He likes to take that player, who
doesn’t think they’ll make it and show them they can.

After a
season is over, he wants his players to be passionate about what they’re doing.
He stressed the importance of showing up every day and putting in the effort.
“What I prepare them for is where they’re going, not where they are,” Beer
began. “I want them to see you can be better than what you are right now,
because you’re going to go places.” If a player’s plan is to play high school
sports, Beers’ plan is to get that player there.

Born
and raised in Raymond, Beers has no plans of leaving. He has two children and
has been married for 23 years. Beers says he lives for his kids and to coach
and play, including his own daughter who he coaches in basketball and softball.
Beers describes himself as someone who can answer most Jeopardy questions, and
a ‘Maine guy’ through and through. Aside from coaching, he plays in a men’s
baseball league. Ultimately, it’s giving back that is what matters to him most.